Kuan Yin: The Princess Who Became The Goddess of Compassion
Kuan Yin: The Princess Who Became The Goddess of Compassion
Miao Shan isn’t your typical princess. She likes to spend her time quietly meditating with the creatures of the forest or having adventures with dragons and tigers. Miao Shan’s heart is so full of love that her dream is to spread happiness throughout the land and help people endlessly. But her father has other plans for her—he intends to have her married and remain in the palace. With the help of her little sister Ling, Miao Shan escapes and begins her journey to discover the true meaning of compassion.
During their adventure, Ling and Miao Shan are eventually separated. Ling must overcome doubts, fears, and loneliness in order to realize what her sister had told her all along—that love is the greatest power in the world. After the sisters’ reunion, Miao Shan realizes her true calling as Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion. A princess-adventure story like none other, this ancient Chinese tale of the world’s most beloved Buddhist hero is a story of sisterhood, strength, and following your own path.
"Children will be fascinated by this gorgeously crafted picture book, which has the familiar elements of a fairy tale but may expose some readers to a narrative and culture that might not be familiar to them." —Booklist
"Detailed illustrations lift this family-focused introduction to the bodhisattva of compassion." —Kirkus Reviews
"With intricate illustrations reminiscent of Chinese paper cuts, the origin story of a beloved Buddhist saint is reimagined for a new audience." —Foreword Reviews
"Maya van der Meer has created a world in a book. And it is a world I’ve been waiting for—where the hero is a young woman who uses a different kind of power than the kind every other superhero brandishes. She’s strong and courageous, and she does what she needs to do. But there’s no treachery, no violence, no battles. Instead there is steadfastness, compassion, and love. The book reads like an adventure story, all wrapped up in the beautiful illustrations of Wen Hsu." —Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of Omega Institute and author of Broken Open